MOSCOW, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Six Tu-22M3 long-range bombers took off from Russia and struck Islamic State (IS) targets near the town of Albu Kamal in Syria's Deir al-Zour province Friday, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
The warplanes destroyed IS strong points, manpower accumulations and armored vehicles, it said in a statement.
Russia's Su-30SM fighters from Syria's Hmeymim airbase covered the bombers during the airstrike.
After completing the mission, all the Russian aircraft returned to their base airfields.
Earlier this week, Russian bombers launched a similar attack near Albu Kamal, one of the last IS strongholds in Syria.
The Russian air force is providing support to the advancing Syrian government troops in the east of the country against IS terrorists.
Russian warplanes flew over 500 sorties in the last seven days, destroying more than 1,250 terrorist facilities in Syria, the Russian Defense Ministry said on its website.
